It looks as if Windows XP might live on, just without a body so to speak...

By now some of you might have noticed a news post on the Windows Supersite detailing an interesting new feature we can expect to find in Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows 7. This "Windows XP Mode" as Microsoft is calling it is fairly ingenious and is sure to be a nice new feature to business users facing the woes of migration. If you want the full technical explanation of how this works, you can find it and more at withinwindows.com.

In brief if you have ever used Virtual PC 2005, 2007, VMWare, or VirtualBox you know how this works. In essence this XP Mode is little more than a complete (and fully licensed) copy of Windows XP running within a Virtual PC 2007 (or perhaps 2009) instance. The major difference is that setup is to the most part completely autonomous with the VHD already provided along with a full XP Pro key.

Once this XP Mode has been setup, all applications installed there that create a shortcut within the "All Users" profile, will be added to your host Windows 7 installation as well. Attempting to launch the shortcut on 7 will bring up the application, or rather what looks like the application but within the VM itself sans the XP VM container. In reality the VM is still running, it’s just launching in the background and you cannot interact with it as a separate window. Instead the only window you see is the application, which is inside the invisible XP container.

All in all, this seems like a rather elegant solution, especially once you consider that this XP Mode also supports USB devices. How far that USB support goes is another question entirely, but at least Microsoft supports some if not all USB devices within XP. For anyone familiar with the popular desktop Virtual Machine clients this should be native territory, with tweaks and other pass-through options modded into the XP machine over time.

In the corporate environment, I'm not sure if this solution is too late or merely for smaller businesses. For large businesses the Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 server might be a better bet as it offloads the "VM" to a server where the application can be shared to countless users at the drop of a hat. This would be far more nimble and central than dealing with countless XP installations within each Windows 7 system. The requirement however is that you need to have both Server 2008 x64 and a Software Assurance agreement with Microsoft. For a smaller business, or ones looking to do it on the cheap, this might be the best method yet to ensure legacy support for old software without breaking the bank.

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There is a point when an OS is LEGACY aka it no longer is innovating. At that point it should ONLY be used for old stuff. So if you insist on living in the past with 16-bit games, that is fine. If that keeps you from upgrading your PC, your next step should be to get a nice BIG BOLD tattoo on your forehead that says Luddite, or Loser, because inspite of your desire to remain in the past, time marches forward.

There were some fun games that were 16-bit, but there are lots of fun 32-bit games and a couple of 64-bit games, and consoles are what 128-bit? embrace the present!

I cry when I look at 16-bit games blockiness, that is the reason I dislike the Wii, when I can play games on the 360 and the PS3, smooth versus blocky.

For businesses, sometimes you have to upgrade that software to the next step. One part shouldn't keep your business in the 20th century.

I do find it difficult to pick up a 16-bit game that I've never played before. But the ones I used to love, somehow haven't lost their original appeal after all those years... It's not a matter of fearing advances in technology, and it's not something that would prevent me from upgrading my PC. But, since the option is there to upgrade my PC without losing those 16-bit games, that is a real and definite benefit to the new OS.

I don't mean to flame, but typically those who completely lack respect for the older games, didn't grow up playing them, I.E. Their first console was an Xbox. What I'm saying is, you're probably too young to understand the appeal.

People like you make a debate worthless to participate in. Whenever someone disagrees with you, you result to the "you must be too young" I am 30... I grew up with the atari 2600, NES, SNES, Genesis, etc. My first computer was an IBM PC Jr (8086 processor). So before you whine that I am too young you might want to grow up yourself and stop resorting to grade school insults.

I found games fun, back in the day, but I also enjoy the amazing innovations in current games. Being able to see hair blow in the wind versus Sonic 1's crazy hairdo is fun.

Yes Sonic was cool when it came out, but now, it is just another game. As I said, if you are stuck in the past that is fine, but for businesses and people that will buy new technology, 16-bit... IS DEAD. I suggest consulting a counselor if your need to hold onto the past remains too strong as you might have some unresolved issues from your childhood that you cannot get past.

For the rest of us, I proudly play my PS3, and I reluctantly play my Xbox 360, and I stroll along having fun with the new technologies of the world.

because i'm not the programmer of the game, so i'm not worried about whether or not a game was written "correctly" so much as i am concerned with MAKING IT RUN SO I CAN PLAY IT. Amazing concept, i know. =p

I have a question, is that group of programmers supposed to live off the proceeds of that one game forever? Can they not make a new game to support themselves? Also what about the new people hired by that company, do they get to make a living? Or does the world have to stop just so you can stay in the past?

It was able to run... on OSes of the past. If you need to play it, keep an old computer around and don't bother to upgrade. Seeing as windows 7 is NEW technology, how about we focus on working with new programs, or atleast current programs, k? I think that sounds like a plan. Later after all of us that like current tech get our OS, you can band together with others that dislike present time and code your own backwards compatibility.

BTW I just wanted to let you know this is 2009, and you might want to join us here.